Fastener



T. H. GAGEN Dec. 31,1940.

FASTENER Filed April 14 INVENTOR. THOMAS H. GAGEN Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES I 2,226,603 PATENT OFFICE.

. I (Cl. 229-40) This invention relates to containers usually made of corrugated board, of the type known as folders, the special utility of which is to carry spools or cops of yarn, wound on central spindles. These cops are ordinarily wound in frustro-conical shape, on spindles which project at each end from the winding, and the ends of the spindles are supported in. fixed position at top and bottom, generally by means of perforations in the folder, into which perforations the ends of the spindles fit. Such folders are known, but the present invention relates to an improvement therein made for the purpose of quickly and firmly fastening the folder with the cops in position; in other words the invention per se isdirected to a lock for such a folder. Although not limited to use for carrying any particular yarn, my invention is well adapted for rayon. a

The purpose of the invention is to provide a lock of the character described which will be simple in construction and not necessitate any additional parts to the blank; and which can be easily fastened by the packer who fills the folder without lost motion on his part or without-re- Q5 quiring staples, tape or extraneous fastenin means of any sort. The invention further aims to make such a lock of sufficiently firm holding characteristics as to retain the folder closed under all ordinary conditions of handling, storage and shipment, but of such character that by proper motions it can beunfastened without destroying the container or the locking portion thereof. a

Having in view the foregoing purposes and such other advantages as may appear in the construction and use of the invention, 1 describe a preferred embodiment below, making reference to the accompanying drawing, such description and drawing to be taken as illustrative rather than as 40 limiting. In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved folder, filled and partially closed, but the locks not engaged; I Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective showing a detail of one look element;

Fig. 3 is a corresponding perspective showing both elements locked;

Fig. 4 is a plan view on theplane 4--4 of Fig. 3

59 looking downward and showing the interengagement of the locking parts, corrugations and cross sectioning being omitted for clea'rn'ess, and parts shown diagrammatically for relative position, but not correctly proportioned; and 55 Fig. 5 is a view of the blank from which the folder is made. Referring now to Figs. 1 and 5, my improved container is preferably made from a unitary rec-' tangular blank, divided by the usual fold lines,

dotted in Fig. 5, into a bottom I, sides 2-2, top laps 3-3, and flanges 4-4.

Although the invention is shown and described in connection with a container for textile cops,

it will be appreciated that it is not limited therevi to and that the lock is of general application for any situations where such a construction is suitable. Inasmuch as a c6ntainer for textile cops has been selected as the illustrative embodiment,

, the blank and the closed folder are shown withal centrally aligned bottom perforations I and smaller top perforations 6 to receive the projecting ends of the cop spindles. The top laps 3 are cut away at their outer'adjacent comers. as at it, to give clearance for backing of! the opposites" tabs in unlocking or for engagement of the tabs for locking. r

' The locking tabs are formed by slots I2 and I2 approximately half the depth of the inward downwardly directed flanges 4-4, said slots lie-.22 ing opened in opposite directions, namely upwardly in flange 4' and downwardly in flange 4. Since each of the slots is approximately half the depth of its flange, the flanges are thus connected by necks iii-l3 to locking tabs l4-l4. The slots I2 may advantageously be formed with one edge as a continued tangent to the curve ofthe relief ID, as best seen in Fig. 5. The slots [2 in the flange 4 are correspondingly placed, but in these the neck l3 intervenes between the relief-a0 l0 and the bottom of the slot I2.

As illustrated particularly in Fig. 2, the slots l2 and I2 have a relation to the thickness of the folder the cops C are placed on the bottom I withthe spindles set in the respective perforations 5,

' the folder is then-bent up on the hinge line bringing the sides 22 vertical, the top laps 3-4 are then bent in on their hinge lines to a horizontal position, and during this last movement the flanges 44' are also bent down at right angles to the laps 3-3. The tabs l4--l4' are turned slightly in opposite directions to clear and cross one another, with the slot [2 opposite the neck i3, and the parts pushed into the engagement. shownin Fig. 3. At the same time of course the openings t'slip over the tops of the cop spindles. The natural resiliency of the material .tends to bring the tabs l4 and I4 back into the planes of their respective flanges and thus givs a substantial binding effect between slot and neck, as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 4. This binding is increased by the natural tendency of the laps 3 to spring up, because the laps have an outward as well as an upward component to their motion, but the lock is easily opened with the thumb and a finger, without injury to the material, by holding down on the top of tab l4 and pushing up on the bottom of tab H at each end of the folder.

From the foregoing it will be seiithat I have invented a lock for open-end folders which has the advantages of very simple construction and operation, security of holding against unintended opening, and ease of opening by intention, and which. can be reused several times. It makes possible a strictly one-piece folder of rectangular outline, with no waste of material, and not requiring supplemental fastenings of any sort.

The foregoing description is of a preferred illustrative embodiment, reference being made to the claims for the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a folder, in combination, a closure comprising two half-laps adapted to abut along their inner edges and each having a flange in substantially perpendicular relation to said inner edge, said halt-laps being relieved adjacent the outer ends of the junctions with their respective flanges, thereby setting off end projections on said flanges not hinged to said half-lap, edges spaced apart less than the thickness of the material defining slots in said flanges at right angles to the respective hinge lines, said slots extending downward in one flange and upward in the other whereby each flange is equipped with an end portion connected by a neck to the main body of the flange.

2. In a folder, in combination, a closure comprising two half-laps; adapted to abut along their inner edges and each having a flange in substantially perpendicular relation to said inner edge, said half-laps being relieved adjacent the outer ends of the junctions with their respective flanges, thereby setting off end projections on said flanges not hinged to said half-lap, edges spaced apart less than the thickness of the material defining slots in saidflanges at right angles to the respective hinge lines, said slots extending downward in one flange and upward in the other whereby each flange is equipped with an end portion connected by a neck to the main body of the flange, the neck on one flange being substantially complementary to the slot on the opposing flange.

3. An interlock f or a fiber board container comprising laps hinged at one edge, flanges at the edge opposite said hinge downwardly and inwardly directed and adapted for interfacial engagement, a downwardly directed slot in one of said flanges and an upwardly directed slot in the other of said flanges, said slots being oppositely spaced so as to register in transverse direction but not in length when said flanges are in opposed interfacial relationship, each of said slots terminating short of the opposite edge of the flange to which it begins, and each beginning in an edge of the flange opposite to that of the opposite slot, said laps being notched adjacent the wardly directed and adapted for interfacial en gagement, a downwardly directed slot in one of said flanges and an upwardly directed slot in the other of said flanges, said slots being oppositely spaced so as to register in transverse. direction but not in length when said flanges are in opposed interfacial relationship, each of said slots terminating short of the opposite edge of the flange to which it begins, and each beginning in an edge of the flange opposite to that of the opposite slot, said container being made of material of substantial thickness, and said slots being slightly narrower than the thickness of the material, said laps being notched adjacent the outer ends of the junctions with their respective flanges.

'5. An interlock for a fiber board container comprising laps hinged at one edge, flanges at the edge opposite said hinge downwardly and inwardly directed andadapted for interfacial engagement, a downwardly directed slot in each end of one of said flanges and an upwardly directed slot in each end of the other of said flanges, said slots being oppositely spaced so as to register in transverse direction but not in length when said flanges are in opposed interfacial relationship, each of said slotsterminating short of the opposite edge of the flange to which it begins, and each beginning in an edge of the flange opposite to that of the opposite slot, said container being made of material of substantial thicknesa and said slots being slightly narrower than the thickness of the material, said laps being notched adjacent the outer ends of the junctions with their respective flanges.

6. A blank for a folder having parallel transverse fold lines successively displaced toward each end of the blank and successively defining a bottom panel at midlength of the blank side panels, top half-lap panels, and flange panels, symmetrically disposed with respect to said bottom panel, said panels being adapted for successive folding each perpendicular to the next, thereby bringing said flanges face to face; each top halflap panel being notched adjacent the ends of the flange fold line; slots in one of said flanges at right angles to the fold line, said slots extending outward about half the depth of the flange and opening into the respective notches; slots in the other said flange opposite and in the same direction as the first-named slots and extending inward from the outer edge of the flange about half the depth of the flange.

7. A blank for a folder having parallel transverse fold lines successively displaced toward each end of the blank and successively defining a bottom panel at midlength of the blank side panels, top half-lap panels, and flange panels, symmetrically disposed with respect to said bottom panel, said panels being adapted for successive folding each perpendicular to the next, thereby bringing said flanges face to face; each top half-lap panel being notched adjacent the ends of theflange fold line; slots in one of said flanges at right angles to the fold line, said slots extending outward about half the depth of the flange and opening into the respective notches; slots in the other said flange opposite and in the same direction as the first-named slots and extending inward from the outer edge of the flange about half the depth of the flange; said flanges being on the order of not more than half the depth of the sides.

THOMAS H. GAGEN. 

